Vampires Feed Thy Need
by Katie9431
Summary: The Salvatore brothers are entwined into Katie's life, a normal human girl. But can she survive their love? Who will she choose? What if one of us lived in the same world as THE Stefan and Damon? Would we choose the same path as Elena? Please review!
1. Chapter 1: Graduation

**This is my first fanfiction ever! Please tell me what you think. Should I write more? Should I leave it as it is? Is it even good? haha It is simply about a girl who falls in love with the Salvatore brothers. Who will she choose? What if the brothers walked into one of our lives? What would it be like? Please all feedback is welcomed! Whether you love it hate it, it doesn't matter, but please tell me! And i hope you enjoy :)**

Graduation day. A day filled with tears and happiness. A day where family and friends gather around to celebrate a new step in someone's life. Some feel an enormous amount of pressure lifted off their shoulders. Some feel sad that a familiar time in their lives is ending, and that the unknown is merely a few steps away. And finally, some just feel joy that they even made it to this day, thinking it would never come. Yet none of these emotions were floating around Katie. All she could think of was the person sitting in the third seat in the seventh isle. The way his dark black hair was messily displayed across his forehead. The way his light sky blue eyes were shining ever so brightly, that even from the stage she could see them. How that smirk, that smirk that drove her crazy, never left his face. He was no simple boy. He was a vampire, a vampire named Damon Salvatore, and he was ruining her graduation day.

She tried, slyly, to turn in her seat to look at her boyfriend, the equally handsome Stefan Salvatore. In his red cap and gown he sat smiling proudly as if it were only his first time wearing such an ensemble. Instead having the hauntingly inhuman blue eyes like his brother, Stefan's green eyes too seemed shine, but there always was something serious lingering behind them. His brown hair was playfully standing up which made a smile creep onto Katie's face. She truly loved this guy, she really…

"Katie that's you!" The girl on her right hissed.

Quickly standing up, and almost (yet not, thank God) tripping over her own gown, Katie made her way over to the principal with a tight smile spread across her lips.

"Thank you." She murmured, receiving her diploma. She turned to see her parents smiling and waving cheering her name, a few tears falling down their faces. And there was Damon, clapping lightly, his body almost shaking with silent laugher. _Ugh why is he here? Why the hell would he come? He's doing this to simply piss me off. To piss STEFAN off! Ugh. This is getting so old._

Sitting back down in her seat, others shuffled passed to receive their ticket out of the school too. Stefan smiled widely when he was handed his, even though no one cheered him on from the audience, especially not his own brother.

When the ceremony was finally over, and Katie seriously thought it never would end, she made her way past all the other crying and laughing graduates, past her own friends quickly giving each of them a loving hug, and walked over to Stefan. His strong arms wrapped around her, enclosing her in an embrace. His hand cupped her cheek and he placed a tender kiss upon her lips. _If only no one else was around, it be so nice if Stefan and I could just…_

"Look at the happy graduates! Smile everyone." Damon cried, flashing out a cheap camera and taking a picture of Katie and Stefan. Sneaking up on Katie was another one of Damon's favorite pastimes, including annoying Katie (like today), teasing Katie, pissing off Katie, did the list ever end?

"Ah yes, Damon…you're here… you decided to come." Stefan said, his tone mimicking Katie's mood.

"I couldn't miss my younger brother's (what is it? 54th now?) graduation!" Damon said, taking another picture, except this time it was of Stefan rolling his eyes.

Damon turned to Katie, moving his eyes over her while he said in a high sing song voice. "And I wouldn't **dare** miss the lovely Katie strutting down that isle for the life, well afterlife, of me. Was it just from my great seat next to your parents, or did I detect that you almost tripped in front of everyone up there?"

"Ugh." Katie groaned, closing her eyes in disgust. "Was it really that obvious that I stumbled? I thought no one noticed."

"Nobody noticed anything, Damon's just…" Stefan started.

"Don't sugar coat it little bro, she could have ACTUALLY tripped though, and that just would have been the blood on the cake to make…"

"Congrats Katie!" Cried her mother and father, rescuing them from Damon's humor.  
"Oh I can't believe you guys are done! You and Stefan, going off to college next fall, how, where, wow it just went so fast!"

"You did it kiddo." Her father said, wrapping her in a bear hug. "The family is back at the house waiting. It's gonna be one big paaaaartay!"

"Dad." Katie said, a smile slowly escaping her face.

"You're coming back right Stefan?" Her mother asked.

"If you really don't mind my intrusion, I would love to come Mrs. Cramden."

"Ah you're always welcome!" Katie's mother continued. Turning to Damon she said, "Would you like to come too? We would love to have you! There will be plenty of food!"

"How many people will be coming?" Damon said in his polite voice, a small sly smile showing signs of breaking through.

"Oh, about twenty five I think?"

"Ah yes, then there **will be** plenty of food!" Damon said winking at Katie. Turning back to her parents he replied. "I would **love** to come. Thank you ever so much for inviting me."

"Are you sure?" Katie quickly said, stepping in front of Damon, blocking off his view to her parents. "Mom I mean, we ordered for twenty five, and I don't know, Grandma Janet might not have enough now if there are twenty six people there…"

"You don't have to go out of your way for him Mr. and Mrs. Cramden. Damon I believe already has plans and…" Stefan said, stepping up in front of Damon too.

"Nonsense! You guys know me." Damon replied, his mischievous smirk finally showing itself. He pushed between Katie and Stefan so he could put his arms around them and continued, "The three of us, just hanging out with Katie's family? Sounds like some fun in the sun to me!" He turned his head to wink at Katie, his hand gently squeezing her arm.

Katie looked down at her feet, not saying a word as her parents persisted to talk, as Stefan glared at Damon, and as Damon just smiled on ahead. All she could think of was another reason why Damon pissed her off, another reason why the sight of him turned her insides out, another reason to remind her that she could not, would not, let anyone know about the love she possessed for him, not even to herself.


	2. Chapter 2: Temptation

**Chapter Two- I hope you guys like it! Whoever you are...anyone? haha **

"Aren't Katie and Stefan SO cute together!"

"How did Katie ever land herself such a looker?"

"What about his brother though, what's his name? Damon? He too is one sexy guy."

"Katie is one lucky girl to find herself with those two on either arm…"

Voices swirled around Katie. It seemed everywhere she went one of her uncles was hugging her, one of her aunts was kissing her, and one of her cousins was gushing over Stefan and Damon. Yes, she knew both brothers were good looking. Yes, she couldn't believe she was with someone as amazing as Stefan. And yes, she knew she was damn lucky to have Stefan in her life. The questions and murmurs around her never ceased to end.

While her Aunt Lynn was gushing about her daughter's piano recital, Katie snuck a peek around. The backyard looked lovely with their pond sparkling with life and the pool's water glistening blue. A table was set up right in the center with plates of food on top; from the classic hot dogs and hamburgers to pasta dishes commemorating her Italian heritage, it all looked so delicious. Guests mingled here and there, talking and chatting about their kids, pets, and homes. Katie saw Stefan chatting lightly by the food, his plate noticeably absent only to her, talking to her Grandma Janet. Being deaf in one ear, her grandmother had no clue who Stefan was but kept babbling on about how "life was so much better before that goddamn television took over."

Laughing to herself she kept looking around until she saw Damon. He was sitting down eating…a hotdog? A giggle bubbled up inside of her and she mouthed, _"What are you doing?"_ Knowing that he could hear her regardless of the distance, he chuckled, casually got up, and walked past her, saying in a low whisper so that only Katie could hear, "Your mother **did** say there would be plenty of food." He kept walking until he caught the eye of her cousin, and nonchalantly made his way over to her.

Katie's mind had to be directed back to her aunt, but when she looked again she noticed that Damon, with one arm around her cousin, his other hand twirling a lock of her hair (which happened to be very close to her neck), was whispering to her, most likely some provocative pick up line. And of course who could resist Damon's charm? Her cousin smiled and looked away, feinting embarrassment but obviously pleased by his attention to her. A feeling of someone squeezing her heart suddenly came over Katie, mixed with a low churn of anger from deep within.

_Jesus we aren't even here twenty minutes and he is literally preying on my cousin? He can't control himself for like one day? Come ON already and right in front of me too? Damon just…_

"Katie…Katie dear!"

Snapping her head back Katie looked at her Aunt Lynn who was clearly annoyed by the fact she would DARE space out while in her presence. "I was just saying how my darling little Sam made regional's when the **oddest** look came over your face! I could have sworn you looked like you wanted to rip out my throat!"

"You should look at Damon, I'm sure you'll see that same look on his face for a different reason…" Katie mumbled to herself.

"What was that deary?" Aunt Lynn asked in confusion.

"Oh nothing, nothing. I just remembered I left my ah, lip balm in my gown in my room, and my lips are just so chapped, and so um I'll be right back."

Imitating a smile Katie moved past relatives until she was on her deck. She caught Stefan's eye hoping he would get the hint to come upstairs with her, but her Grandma Janet was still jabbering, yet now on "the nuisance of some mindless concept called 'rap'". He shrugged very lightly at Katie, both knowing that he would come up when he could. Sighing she made her way into the house alone, climbing up the stairs to her bedroom, the only one on the second floor.

Walking over old stuffed animals and dirty clothes, Katie sat back on her bed and stared up at her sky blue ceiling. _Almost like Damon's eyes. But his are softer in a way, with maybe a hint of gray in them? Well I guess it could be debated that they…_

Laughter from outside broke her thought and she snapped back up. _What the hell Katie? Get a grip of yourself!_

She walked over to her floor length mirror and absentmindedly grabbed a hold of her hairbrush to pull it through her hair. Her brown hair which normally was somewhere between wavy and straight, but it was curly today, and her dark blue eyes seemed to almost pop with the color of her purple v-neck shirt. It flowed down to her hips where it met a simple black skirt that shimmered down to a little above her knees. Never being a size zero, yet never overweight, Katie was a mix of curves that made her look much older than eighteen even though she was only five foot three. Looking into the mirror she took account of herself, never very satisfied by her appearance but at least pleased she didn't look too disheveled for the day. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

_Just make it through the summer. Then you can be with Stefan next year away at college. Just the two of us together always. No one else. __**HE**__ will be here still, or traveling somewhere else. And why do I have to even see him that much this summer? I can make up excuses to not go to their house. Stefan can come here or we can meet somewhere. It can work out! No, it WILL work out!_

Her eyes still closed she took a deep breathe to relax herself. When she opened her eyes a minute later there was Damon standing behind her, his reflection smirking back in the mirror.

"What the-" Katie almost screamed, jumping back four feet causing her to almost fall into him. _You would think by now I would be used to that!_

Snapping back around to face him she tried, and barely succeeded, to regain her composure by saying, "You know, creeping up behind someone in a mirror is like the most cliché move the killers make in horror movies."

"Oh but who says I am here to kill you?" Damon smiled, his teeth almost shining in reply.

"Yet…" she mumbled, glaring at him. "So…what are you doing in my room?"

"Ugh, I couldn't take another minute of your cousin Jamie." He said while flopping dramatically onto the bed.

"You mean Jenny?" Katie said, a smile slowly sneaking onto her face. She slid over to the wall and leaned against it, not wanting to be close to him, yet feeling more than ever drawn to him.

As if he could hear her thoughts, he sat up on the bed cross-legged and smirked. "Of course, I **so** rather be up here with you."

"Haha." She said, arms crossed looking away.

He picked up a sock that was lying across her pillow and with the tips of his fingers put it in front of him at an arm's distance. His nose pinched he said, "But I do **not** wanna be in the same room as your dirty socks. Do laundry much?"

Katie laughed as she ran over to grab the sock. "Oh come on! It so doesn't smell at all!" She reached over him to get it but he stood up on the bed out of her reach. "You want it? Come and get it!"

She scrambled up onto her bed and jumped to reach it, but it was just out of grasp. Damon almost flew off the bed laughing. "That's the best you got?"

"Wait, that is SO unfair! I can't help it that your vampire abilities make you faster than me!"

"Hun, even without my powers you would **never** be able to catch me."

Still standing on her bed, Katie put her hands on her hips and teased, "That's b.s. and you know it! I would be way faster, and I bet stronger too!

His blue eyes sparkling with amusement, Damon was suddenly standing on top of the bed and replied, "Stronger? You sure about that?" He grabbed a hold of her hips and swung her down onto the bed so he was straddled over her.

Katie was laughing so hard tears were openly flowing down her cheeks. As her breathing slowed she looked up at Damon and caught his gaze, and realized he wasn't laughing anymore, but staring down at her, a strange emotion that Katie couldn't place lingering behind his eyes.

She slowly untangled herself from Damon and walked over to her closet, her back facing him now.

"You haven't really been yourself lately Kate."

"What do you mean?" She said quickly, maybe too quickly. _Shit._

Moving inhumanly fast, he was in front of her in a split second, his blue eyes boring into hers. "You know what I mean." His voice was soft, softer than Katie ever heard it before. "It wasn't even a month ago when we could laugh and joke like this always. You're, you're my best friend. And now…you're so distant. Why is that Kate?"

"It's just…ya know…finals and well…preparing for college…and…"

"Ah yes, college next fall. You and Stefan, embarking on new adventures halfway across the country!" Damon's voice grew rough, a touch of bitterness lingering on leaving his lips. "And where shall I be? Still in this crappy little town? Doubt it."

"Where will you go?" Katie said, meeting his eyes.

"I don't know. Maybe go somewhere in Europe. See the world…again. British girls just have an exotic taste to them that is so, irresistible." The corners of lips tilted up, but the light didn't meet his eyes.

Ignoring his joke Katie whispered almost involuntary, "I'll miss you next year."

Surprised flicked across his eyes, but his voice was cool, controlled. "It will be different, not seeing you. Hell, I might even miss Stefan. These past two years, a lot has changed. The sight of my brother doesn't repulse me…as much, anymore. And well, I met you. I even started to care about this town. Why? Damn, I don't even know. But it's the closest I have ever felt to being home, really home, in a long time, and a lot of that has to do with you."

A blush crept onto her face, but she didn't dare break his gaze. Katie's heart was beating fast and slow at the same time. The voices that she once heard from outside seemed to pause, as if time itself slowed down. Eyes still locked, blue on blue, Damon's hand brushed back a stray hair from her face. Katie's lips unintentionally parted, her hand reaching for his. His lips lowered to meet hers, both their eyes slowly closing; their lips were four inches apart, three inches, two, one….

"Katie? Are you still up there?" Stefan called, walking up the staircase.

The moment was gone, as if someone shut off a switch. Katie pulled back and started to run her hands through her hair, which now seemed to have frizzed up. Damon just looked at her, a touch of sadness in his eyes until they turned cold. "Up here Stefan. We are **both** up here."

Stefan walked in, his tie loosely undone, his eyes looking back and forth between his flustered girlfriend and his cocky brother. "Everything…okay up here?"

"Yea, yes!" Katie said brushing past Damon not even looking at him, grabbing onto Stefan's hand. "I came up to take a break and Damon followed me."

"Oh don't be so modest, she literally dragged me up here! Begging and pleading me to come!" Damon said sitting back onto her bed.

Stefan just stared at his brother, knowing that he was joking, shaking his head in very mild amusement. Turning back to Katie he said, "Your mom is looking for you. You were up here for a while and she was getting worried. Also your Grandma was getting worried too, except that she thought you were packing to runaway with an Egyptian prince. How does she come up with this stuff?"

Laughing a high fake laugh Katie just shrugged and started to follow Stefan out of her room down the stairs. But before she left she took a peek behind at Damon who was still sitting on her bed, gazing down at his hands with a thoughtful look on his face. Suddenly he clenched his fists and a look of such pain crossed his face that Katie actually took a step back to hold onto the doorframe. The pain that was visible in his face made her gasp aloud. But before she could call out to him he abruptly stoop up, and not even looking at her once, he walked over to her window and jumped through it. Katie ran over to look out, to see when he went, but he was nowhere to be seen…he was already gone…


	3. Chapter 3: The Truth

**Chapter 3! I hope you guys like it, I feel like not too much really happens BUT Chapter 4 is gonna be intense LOL. I'm writing it right now so I'll deff post it later today! Tell me what you guys think please :D**

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There are so many places in life where one can find peace, where one can quietly digest their own thoughts. Some find tranquility out among nature, where the wildlife surrounds them. Others find this stillness when they get away from their average lives and head off into the unknown, whether it be a vacation ten miles or a hundred miles away, they can take time off to think about life. For Katie, she simply found serenity in the shower. The common sounds of the showerhead moving and feel of the warm water against her body gave her time to pause and think, to review the day with all its ups and downs. Especially a day when she almost did the unthinkable, a day when she almost gave into the temptation of Damon.

_How did we even get so close? One minute we were talking and the next he was…there. In front of me. God it felt so good to entwine my fingers with his. Our hands fit perfectly together, as if they were made for each other. We were what, a measly one or two inches from kissing! How could I do that, well almost do that, to Stefan! I LOVE Stefan. We, we are meant to be together! But Damon…_

_NO! Don't think of Damon. Think of something else. Think of puppies, um ah trees, um ah toothpaste! Why can't he leave my head? Why? When did these feelings start?_

But Katie knew, she could remember almost every moment of that day when she realized she truly cared for Damon as more than a friend. In the start, she could barely stand the sight of him. He was so cruel, so mean, so (almost) evil. But as time wore on, he slowly and steadily began to change. All the "adventures" the three of them involved in started to bring out the humanity in Damon. And as his humanity blossomed, so did their friendship. It started as them being cordial to each other, and then some jokes every now and then, and before Katie knew it she would call the Salvatore house to talk to Damon on the phone for hours on end. But there never was any sexual tension between them. Her heart always raced for Stefan, not Damon. He could tickle her and hug her but her breath never started to become shallow. But that one April day, or should she say night, changed everything.

...

"**Beep beep beep beep BEEEEEEEEEP"****went Katie's alarm clock. She groaned and turned over, hitting the snooze button but it was too late. She was up.**

_**Not another day of school, please! I am so sick of this!**_

**She stumbled out of bed and into the shower, mentally reviewing notes for a test she had later on in the day. The warm water felt so good on her skin. It started to wake her up so she could actually see what she was doing. Katie stepped out and dried off, blowing drying her hair, applying on some makeup, and putting on her clothes. Still bleary eyed she staggered down the stairs to the old kitchen table to pick on her toast and fruit.**

"**Big test today?" He mother said while sipping coffee at the kitchen counter.**

"**Nah it won't be too bad, I just got to remember all these little useless facts." Katie kept picking at her toast, for once in her life not hungry. She kept looking at the clock waiting to see when her boyfriend would arrive. **

"**Are you basically ready to go? Doesn't he usually come in about five minutes or so?" Her mother replied.**

"**Hm what? Oh yeah I'm almost ready." She got up and ran up the stairs, quickly brushing her teeth. She then walked over to her mirror and looked, no, scrutinized, herself.**

_**Well my hair isn't too frizzy today, and it's actually staying straight…for now. Ew maybe I shouldn't have worn these jeans, is my butt really that big? Eh its fine I'll just keep my jacket on all day. God I really do hope this test won't be really bad, if I do bad then…**_

"**Katie! Your ride is here!"**

**Grabbing her bag that was lying on her bed Katie ran down the stairs to meet her boyfriend, her soul mate, her "one". **

**He smiled at her and took her bag. Looking behind to make sure her parents weren't watching he pecked her on the lips gently.**

"**That is no way to start off a morning mister." Katie said before diving back into the kiss, except now it had a new sense of urgency. His hands went to her waist while her hands spun around his hair. The kiss deepened more and Katie jumped up to wrap her legs around him. The love she felt was overpowering, startling. His lips moved down to her throat, giving her a chance to breathe. When she looked up she was surprised to see an old ninety two year old lady with unnaturally dyed red hair smiling outside beyond the door. Katie's Grandma Janet was there, clapping and jumping up and down in excitement.**

"**Grandma? What, what are you doing here?" Katie said in confusion. The kisses on her neck stopped as he too looked over.**

"**What am I doing here? I'm celebratin! You've finally got it right! Why it took you what honey, almost two years? But you did it! Ya found the man, or should I say vampire, you belong with!"**

"**How, how do you know…" Katie started to sputter.**

"**How do I NOT know! I ain't as dumb as I come off to be! And you know it too. Deep down you've always seemed to know it! This here is the start of a new chapter baby! Oh don't look so surprised, somewhere deep down ya knew this day would come. It's not gonna be easy. Oh hell you might not even make it. There is no guarantee of anything. But there is hope! I can see it within the both of ya! Hold on to that, and be brave. If you can survive the price of his love then you both might make it. You kids might actually make it. By God you might really make it…." Grandma Janet smiled, took a deep breath and then disappeared into thin air. Katie stood there another minute just staring at the spot her Grandmother once was, trying to find words to describe what just happened. Turning to her boyfriend in shock, she couldn't even muster up any words to express all the million little thoughts traveling in her brain. **

"**Don't worry Kate. I think she's right. You and I, we are meant to be together." **

**Damon placed his lips to hers and whispered, "I will always love you."**

...

Looking into her mirror, Katie involuntary shivered at the dream. She still could remember waking up to that scream that echoed from her own lips. Cold sweat had lined her body and she couldn't stop shaking for an hour. The dream had felt so real, (well other than the part with her crazy grandmother in it). But what scared her so much, and still did, was how **right** it all felt. She never felt that way in her life before, neither awake nor asleep. But being there, kissing Damon, made her feel so happy in that moment that nothing after that, and she doubted before, could compare.

And of course that is when everything changed. She ignored Damon for a straight week after (much to Stefan's delight). Finally Damon walked into her house and into her room demanding to know what he did. Katie nonchalantly said she was still hurt over some minor fight they had gotten into weeks before, something now she couldn't even remember. When Damon looked at her, he easily saw right through the lie. Their friendship had developed to the point that they could really read each other's every emotion, every thought. He might not have known the true reason, but he knew Katie was keeping a secret from him, something she'd never done before.

Their long conversations on the phone became a thing of the past, and their constant teasing ceased to exist. Yes there were moments when everything seemed as it was before, but right in the middle of the moment Katie would gaze into his beautiful blue eyes and desire nothing more than to be in his arms kissing him. Once those feelings were aroused she always came up with an excuse to leave the room, or just simply get away from Damon.

_But today I didn't leave, and look how close we got! Poor Stefan, yeah he can piss me off being so overprotective 24/7, but still… I, I love him. I love…?_

Katie knew being cold to Damon was horrible, it was mean and cruel, and she knew this betrayal hurt him more that he would ever let on. But what was she supposed to do? She was with Stefan. She would NOT go back and forth between the brothers. What kind of person would she be then? All these thoughts swirling around her head almost made her dizzy. She threw on her ratty pajamas and grabbed a hold of her brush, walking into her bedroom to contemplate somemore, when she heard an odd sound. It almost was like…someone was throwing pebbles against her window? It couldn't be…could it?

Katie almost ran to her window and yanked it open, and there staring up at her was no one other than Damon Salvatore. In a black tightly fit shirt and jeans he looked good…damn good.

He smiled up, his blue eyes clearly visible from her second story window. "Am I invited in? Or are you gonna make a fellow wait outside your bedroom window all night long?"


	4. Chapter 4: The Start of the End

**Sorry that it is sort of late! I barely had a chance to be on the computer today to write :( But here is chapter 4! Please review to tell me what you think! I hope it makes sense haha :) **

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Katie looked down at Damon flabbergasted. Where did he come from? Why was he here? And the most frightening question of all…what did he want so late at night?

Damon, still waiting for a response, kept looking up, meeting her gaze steadily. Katie took and a deep breath and shouted, "Why are you even asking permission? That never stopped you before!"

He chuckled to himself and replied, "I thought I would be a perfect gentleman tonight, mix it up a little bit you know? Some days I like to be, as you put it, a 'psychopath' and other days an upstanding citizen! It keeps you on your toes." He winked and the next second he was standing next to Katie in her room.

Instinctively she backed up in shock, causing her to hit her head on the wall. "Ow." She muttered, rubbing her head. Damon leaned in asking, "You okay?"

"Yeah yeah just…" She started to say, but then looked down at her old ratty pajamas with the little holes throughout them and noticed how the shorts were well…short. She glanced behind her and caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror, causing her to almost gasp out loud. Her wet hair was starting to friz up, and moisturizer was still visible since she never had a chance to fully rub it in. To say Katie's cheeks turned a shade of red was an understatement. Her head whirled back around to Damon, who was still standing almost right on top of her, and noticed a smirk on his face taking in her appearance.

"I guess you weren't expecting company tonight? What, no late visits from Stefan?" The smirk had return, but his eyes seemed to be lifeless, no light shining from them.

"Of course not." Katie almost snapped back. She looked back up, and then down at herself. "Um…I'll be right back." She dodged into the bathroom and shut the door, making sure it was locked. She slowly slid down the door until her head was in her hands.

_Okay its nooo big deal! He just wanted to say hi. He probably wants another hot dog from earlier. Maybe he left his jacket here? Maybe his pants? Wait… why would he leave his pants here? That's an idiotic thought. Maybe he…._

"Need any help in there…?" Damon said with a light knock on the door, leaving the question to linger in the air.

"No, no, I'm fine! Make yourself at home for a sec…I'm sure you'll do that anyway." She said with a slight smile on her lips. "Hey but be a little quiet, my parents are right down stairs."

"Fineeeeeee" Damon exasperated dramatically. "And don't be in there **too** long. You don't need to get all prettied up for _moi_." Katie could almost see his distinct smirk from where she was sitting.

She got up and again looked into the mirror. Her hair had grown another foot and she was still all flushed. She started to reach for a tube of mascara when she realized what she was doing.

_Why does it matter how I look for him? For Damon? HE'S not my boyfriend! I don't care how I look like for him! I __**shouldn't**__ care how I look for him!_

She splashed a little water on her face and opened the door. Stepping gently out onto the little hallway between the bathroom and her bedroom, she never was more grateful that the master bedroom was downstairs, especially when she saw Damon laying atop of her bed the covers above him, all tucked in.

"Uh…hey?" She said, wishing that she did put on a little makeup now.

"Just getting cozy since I'll be staying for a while." He turned around and fluffed up the pillow behind him, sighing in comfort.

Katie gave him a slight smile and said, "And **who **says you'll be staying a while?"

"I do! I invited myself to this here sleepover and I'll be saying when it's over!" Damon's grin spread ear to ear, and she knew he was joking…mostly.

"Ha-ha very funny." She made her way over to the bed and sat down. The silence started to linger but it wasn't awkward, it was relaxing, peaceful. She looked up to give him a smile when it struck her that Damon wasn't wearing a shirt. She slowly turned her body half way to look at the ground and saw there lay his shirt in a little pile…with his pants right next to it.

Jumping up in a second, Katie reeled around almost screaming, "Okay. What. The. **HELL**!"

"Relax relax I'm wearing boxers young one! And I'm sure you don't mind." Damon said with a wink, sitting up.

_No I really don't mind…_

"Of course I mind! You can't just...just come in here and go under my…my sheets NAKED? I mean, who does that! Who? Me? Heck no! That's just weird and well… just…"

Damon, still sitting up with the sheets around him said in a low, quiet voice, "Do you really want me to leave? I will go if you honestly want me to…"

His eyes met hers and in the moment Katie knew that the question meant more beneath the surface, they both knew that what he really wanted to ask is if their friendship was truly over, did she want him to permanently leave her life. And in that same one moment, thousands of thoughts raced around her head. Her brain was screaming at her to tell him to leave and never come back, to remind him of her boyfriend who loved her very much, to jog his memory that her boyfriend was his own brother, who had risked his life many times for him, and to shout how inappropriate their whole relationship was from the start. Yet her heart just kept saying one thing over and over again, _"Please, please don't go." _

Not breaking the gaze, Katie slowly, quietly, and distinctly whispered, "I don't want you to leave."

Bit by bit a grin began to show itself on Damon's face, and the moment was gone. "I knew you couldn't resist my allure." But behind that smile, in his eyes, Katie saw what he really wanted to say…_" thank you". _

"But listen, if you are gonna hang out for a LITTLE while, then you gotta put on some pants!"

"Ugh you so ruin the mood." But Damon bounced up to retreat his pants and, still facing Katie, put them back on.

_Why oh why does he have to be SO good looking? Seriously…how did he ever get that body…those freakin abs…do people even have muscles there?_

Catching the look she was giving him, he smirked in pride and then in a flash was back under the covers.

"There is plenty of room next to me." Damon said, patting the bed suggestively.

"Uh I'm fine…I'll just…"

"Stand? No way. Come on you can just sit and hang out right? Or you are…chicken?"

"Chicken? Of what! You? As. If." Katie dropped down onto the edge of the bed. She smiled at Damon and continued. "So what do I owe this ever so lovely pleasure to?"

Settling back into the pillow Damon looked around her room and said, "Eh, I don't know. I just figured you and I could catch up."

Looking down at her hands she said, "Yeah, I think that's my fault…"

"Who needs to dwell in the past? Let bygones be bygones. God I hate that phrase. It's so…19th century. And I would know, wouldn't I?" He leaned over and squeezed her hand tenderly.

Katie looked up and knew her eyes were now the ones to silently say _"Thank you"._ Yet out loud she replied, "Well then I do think we need some catching up! Oh and I know exactly how to kick this off!" She almost jumped off the bed and ran over to get her laptop. Clicking around until she found what she sought, she then turned up the volume to play a single song. She placed the laptop back onto the desk and ran back to it on the bed.

"Okay if you don't remember this I think I will have to stake you now or something!" Katie said, trying so hard not to laugh.

Damon listened for a few seconds, and then his infamous smirk crept onto his face. "How could I **not **remember this? What, it was like 3 A.M., and you made me, and seriously you were harping on this forever, find this song online because it was stuck in your head! And who the hell gets Irish folk tunes stuck in their heads?"

"My Grandma Janet was playing it when I went over her house and it was driving me crazy! I couldn't stop singing it!"

"So then you got it stuck in **my** head."

"Which made **you** get pissed off because you couldn't help singing it either!"

"And then we both were running around my house dancing to it!"

"But I couldn't find it ANYWHERE online." Katie faked a pout.

"Ah yes, which made me go on the SIX HOUR LONG quest of trying to find it for you!"

Reeling over with laughter Katie said, "But you did find it! And then we got to sing it for another six hours!"

Damon too was doubling over with amusement. "Did I ever tell you how much I hate this song?"

"Are you serious? I HATE this song too! It makes no sense but…"

"…it's just so damn catchy." He finished for her.

Damon and Katie were back, as if the last month never happened. For the next four hours they talked about everything, from music, to movies, to books, to funny stories, there never was a moment without laughter. And if a silence did occur, it never felt uncomfortable, just a break from the fun. Before she knew it, she was sitting under the blankets with him. Their bodies just a few inches from touching, Katie felt could feel his every move. If he moved a fraction, she would adjust herself so they would be balanced. She had missed him so much and finally her best friend was with her again.

_See, there is like no "tension" or whatever. I don't know, I guess I was just being paranoid. I missed Damon so much…_

Yawning, Katie stretched back into the pillows. Damon looked down at her and teased, "What, how can you be tired? It's only…4 A.M."

"I'm up, I'm still wide awake." She said with another yawn escaping. "I still want to tell you about that time when I was shopping and that guy/lady came over to me." Katie started with her story, but it seemed like every other second her eyes were closed. She kept popping back up, but she couldn't resist the sleep. Sooner than she thought possible she was dreaming, but the dream was of her and Damon as they were before, just talking in her bed.

…..

"**Are you asleep?" Damon asked, gently rubbing her arm.**

"**Of course I am, I'm dreaming right now aren't I?"**

**Damon gave a tiny smile, "Oh right, how silly of me."**

"**I really will miss ya when I leave for college ya know…"Katie murmured. She kept thinking how weird this dream was. Her eyes were closed throughout it, she didn't think a person could fall asleep in their own dreams!**

**She heard Damon whisper, "But you have Stefan…the guy you love."**

**Katie chuckled quietly.**

"**What are you laughing at little one?" Damon said, still whispering.**

"**Just the fact that you think that I love Stefan."**

**She could hear his sharp intake of breath. An image of her Grandma Janet in an Irish step dancer costume floated across her mind. What an odd dream she kept thinking.**

"**What do you mean?" He said.**

"**How can I still love him when I have been in love with someone else for a long time… duhhh!" Katie kept seeing her Grandmother dance around and around, singing and clapping in excitement. **

After that Katie actually entered the real dreamland, so she never got to see Damon's face grow from a mask of shock, to pure, simple joy.

…..

_God what time is it? Do I have to get up? Oh wait… didn't I graduate yesterday? YES! I can sleep in some more. Ugh what's that against me? Did I fall asleep with a book in bed? I really don't remember now…_

Katie heard a quiet, almost inaudible, sigh. Feeling started to come back to her body, and she felt an arm around her waist and a leg intertwined with hers. She lifted her head up, and still blurry eyed looked over the bed and saw a shirt and a pair of jeans on the ground.

She slowly rolled over, her heart pumping faster than she thought possible, and saw Damon, who was smiling in his sleep. He peeked one eye open and kissed the top of her head, "Good morning." He whispered.

Suddenly everything came back to her; Damon coming over, talking all night, falling asleep in his arms, and her dream of them talking some more.

Katie broke out of his arms and jumped out of bed. All she could think was, _"What the hell did I just do!"_

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**I hope you guys get it! Was Katie really dreaming? Hmmm...let me know!**


	5. Chapter 5: Gone

**Sorry again if this update is a wee bit late! But actually I'm gonna write the next chapter now too (the next part is too intense for me to stop now! haha) so either later tonight it will be posted or early tomorrow. I hope you like this chapter, for me it was hard to write because…well you'll see ha. But stay tuned because the climax is coming up so soon! I hope you like it, again this really isn't my favorite chapter but tell me what you think no matter what! (Also this chapter is a little on the shorter side, but i think a decent amount of things happen! Trust me, the next ones will be longer hehe).**

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"_What the hell did I just do!"_

Katie was near the point of hyperventilating. She glanced at Damon, who was still laying down in bed, except now his eyebrows were creased in confusion. She then slowly looked down at herself, seeing her shorts riding low and her tank top all messed up from the night. Finally she stared down at the ground to see Damon's shirt and…pants.

_I thought I told him to keep the pants ON!_

"So what? I got hot last night. And come on, you're not gonna make a guy sleep with jeans on, are you? I'm still wearing my boxers if that makes you feel better…." He said, reading her thoughts, with a smirk appearing.

"Uh, not really…" She turned around so she wouldn't be facing him anymore. She couldn't, she **wouldn't**, look at his face, look into his beautiful eyes. Why did she let him stay over last night? She shouldn't have fallen asleep. She should have made him leave the second she got tired!

Yet none of that could help her now. Katie just slept next to her boyfriend's brother. She just woke up in his arms. And the worse part? Right before she started to wake up she felt so serene and peaceful. She felt so right, as if she was exactly where she should be at this moment in her life. It was the same type mood she felt in the dream where she kissed Damon.

_Wait…did he just kiss my head? What the hell? Well it was kind of nice, cute really, but oh my god that isn't the point!_

Her back still turned from him she said in a low, deadly voice. "I think you should go Damon."

"What no breakfast?" He said flipping back the sheets.

Turning her head slowly, her eyes wide, she just stared at him. Did he mean some of **her** for breakfast?

Seeing her shocked looked Damon teased, "Just kidding. Well actually I'm** dying**, which is pretty hard for me ya know, for a waffle. With a little whipped cream and a tablespoon of blood, I mean chocolate chips. Yum." In a flash he was next to her putting his jeans back on. "Wanna go out and get some food? Or we could go downstairs and say hi to mummy and daddy." A devilish grin spread ear to ear across his face.

"What! NO! Stop it, just STOP IT!" Katie could feel pressure upon the top of nose, indicating tears were about to fall any minute.

_I let this go way too far. God dammit wh_y,_ why? Yea we didn't actually sleep together but how can I tell Stefan this? Should I even tell him? "Hey I hope you don't mind but your brother and I sort of fell asleep in bed together last night after talking for hours on end and woke up in each other's arms. That okay? What did you do last night?" Jesus how dumb would that sound? _

"What's wrong?" He gently inquired. He automatically started to rub her arm soothingly.

Katie pulled her arm back exasperated. Looking him directly in the eye (and trying to ignore his half naked body) she said, "Damon…this…this was a mistake. I…I'm not the type of person to, to freakin cuddle with my boyfriend's brother? Listen, I love him. You and I, I thought we could be friends but I don't even know anymore…" She barely got the last part out without choking on the words.

_Oh God I can't do this. I can't hurt Damon like this. But when I'm with his brother what other choice do I have?_

"…but you don't."

"What?" She said, missing the first part of his sentence.

"You don't love Stefan." His eyes burned into hers, questioning her.

Katie's jaw dropped. She kept opening and closing her mouth wanting to say something, anything, but nothing came out.

"You told me last night." He continued.

"No…no that was…a dream…?"

_Wasn't it? Didn't I dream I told him that? It, it had to be a dream? Right? Right? It was just a…shit…_

His eyes still burying, smoldering hers, she wanted to break the gaze but couldn't. Her body physically wouldn't let her. Her body shaking and her lip quivering she tried to say aloud the words, "I love Stefan." But her lips forgot how to form those syllables. Racking her brain, she couldn't even remember the last time she had told Stefan she loved him. He said it to her almost everyday, but when was the last time **she** said it to **him**?

_Maybe it was…last Christmas? Even before my dream? Do I honestly love Stefan anymore?_

And there it was, the million-dollar question. She turned away from Damon and slowly sat down on her bed. Did she love Stefan anymore? He was kind, loyal, protective (maybe a little too much), smart, caring, and a great person all around. But then why couldn't she say she loved him, even just out loud? What was missing? Sure he was sort of predictable, and not spontaneous, and a little controlling with whom she hung out with (aka Damon). But he was a good person. He was. **But what was missing?**

_Nothing is missing. This is just…a rough patch? Yeah a rough patch for us._

The word _denial_ popped into her head, but she pushed that thought away.

"Katie." Damon said, bringing her back to reality, to the moment before her. He walked over to the edge of the bed to face her. "Don't tell me that nothing happened last night." His voice was so low she barely could hear it.

Katie looked up at him and said the worse thing she could say, and with every word that she next spoke, a piece of her heart seemed to tear off. "You're right. Something did happen last night. But...it. Meant. Nothing. We are friends, best friends, and we almost crossed a line, but we didn't. I am still with Stefan, and you are still Stefan's brother to me. Nothing more…nothing less."

Something flashed behind his eyes. Was it anger? Jealously? Hurt? Damon's jaw was locked but he muttered out. "You told me last night that you didn't love Stefan anymore. That you couldn't love him anymore because you are in love with…"

"I DON'T LOVE ANYONE ELSE!" Katie roared up. She didn't care if her parents heard, if the neighbors heard, hell if her Grandma Janet two towns over heard, but she couldn't take it anymore! "I LOVE _HIM_! NOT YOU! The ONLY reason why you want me to admit 'something' happened between us is to annoy Stefan! That's it…isn't it? Everything between us, it's all another way to get back at him!"

"Don't be a freakin idiot Katie!" Damon yelled back. His blue eyes started to change into a black, lifeless color. His chest was rapidly rising and falling, his hands clenched into tight fists. "That is…"

"True! It's true! It HAS to be true! You can have any girl you want Damon and don't deny it. Why the hell would you want to be with me? You and I are messed up, you for screwing with my mind and me for falling for it!"

He started to shout something back but she cut him off. "GO! JUST LEAVE! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Katie fired out.

Damon looked at her for one more second, every emotion plain in his face. The anger, the hurt, even the desire he felt for her, flashed across his eyes, his lips. But he didn't say anything else. When she blinked, he was gone.

Katie never heard her mom running up stairs, asking what all that noise was, she never smelt the burnt food, that was left cooking neglected in the kitchen, she never saw the single red rose, that Damon had gotten for her (now lost under her bed), she never tasted the tears, that ran down her face, and she never, ever, felt as hurt as she did in that minute, knowing that she could have just let the best thing in her life disappear right before her eyes.

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**Also, I want to say thank you to, ****KatherineLeFay, FunkyStyle, Bubalooo123, Starangel5593, JordieCat, supernaturallover1098, and UllyGap. You guys are the ones who read my story and I wouldn't have published any more of it without your reviews or favoring it! **** Thank you guys for even liking it! haha! **


	6. Chapter 6: The Choice

**I hope you guys like this chapter! Katie realizes something here! Also I know I said that this part here is really intense (which to ME it is ha) but I decided to break this into two different chapters. The next chapter is the one I have been dying to write forever now! But I really like this one! Please tell me what you think, and don't be too discouraged reading it, it's all leading up to the next 3 chapters :D!**

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"Katie! Katie come down! Dinner is being served!"

"Where is that little whipper snapper? Usually at the first sign of food she is down here!"

"The past two days she's been moping around. She won't take any calls from Stefan either. I think maybe they might have gotten into a little fight or something. You know Ma, the other day I heard so much shouting going on in her room, but I heard her say Damon, not Stefan's, name. I think maybe Damon made a pass on her so she and Stefan were arguing on the phone. I'm sure by next week they will have forgotten all about it! You know how kids bounce back."

"Maybe I can go get her to come down and eat? I'll be right back. Keep that meatloaf fresh you here now?"

A chair scraping, someone shuffling up out of a seat, and the stairs creaking with weight were all sounds audible to Katie's ears. But she didn't care. She was pacing around her room pissed off at the world. For the past two days, ever since Damon left, Katie had been replaying the event over and over in her mind. She wrote it down, she sketched a picture out, hell she even made the scene into a screenplay, yet none of that helped. She just kept thinking how cruel she was to him. Did she have to go that far? Couldn't she just have told him to leave without yelling at him?

Nevertheless she could not take back those actions. They were done. They were the consequences she had to deal with. Damon wasn't all that innocent either. He still knew she was with Stefan but he pushed himself into her bed regardless.

_It's not like I was too keen on stopping him. He so easily saw through my feeble attempts to stop him. _

What bothered her most was the part when she said the only reason he was interested in her was to piss off his brother. Katie had said that in the heat of the moment, but what if it was true? She had never even thought of that before, but Damon always did harmlessly flirt with her in front of Stefan.

_Last night was different though. And when he was in my room on graduation too. There was something…more between us. It was like I could see him, the real him, and he could see me. We always were so close, yet last night… I don't know but falling asleep in his arms, I never felt so comfortable in my life before._

Katie was a loyal person though. And she made a commitment to Stefan. He was her boyfriend. They were planning a life together next fall. Was she really going to change all those plans because of just one night she shared with his brother?

"Katie by God what are you doing walking back and forth in your room? Sweet Jesus child!" She didn't realize her Grandma Janet had made it to her room yet. She was a woman that people literally stopped in the streets to gawk at. At ninety-two years old, she dyed her gray hair a flaming red each week, she was never, ever, without a set of pearls on, and liked to wear matching jogging suits in a different color each day. People couldn't figure out if she was trying to make a fashion statement or really was that odd, but Katie had settled on the latter for many years now. Her Grandma was always in a different world, her eyes far, far away, as if they were seeing things that no one else could see. She loved her grandmother dearly, but most of her actions and thoughts were so crazy that she usually just smiled and nodded while replying, "Okay Grandma" to make her happy.

Katie stopped pacing and sighed, "Grandma, you didn't have to come all the way up here, especially with your bad back."

"Oh hell to my back!" She said, her back hunched over, shuffling some more so she could sit on Katie's bed. Her jogging suit of choice today was a very light blue, almost as light as a sky blue. Once she made herself comfortable on the bed she continued. "Your mom says you've been moping in your room for the last few days. A Cramden doesn't mope! They live hun! I thought you of all people knew that with the type of lifestyle you live at least."

Katie's eyebrows raised she asked with a half smile on her lips, "And what kind of lifestyle do I live again?"

"With those two…boys. Damon and what's his face? The always brooding one…? Stephanie? The Egyptian princes!"

Laughing Katie sat down crossed legged on the bed with her Grandma. "His name is Stefan, and yeah I don't know, all three of us have been sort of fighting…."

"What about though sweetie? Ya know you can tell this old lady anything. My lips are sealed shut, unless Ramses comes knocking at my door then anything is up for grabs!"

Chuckling at Janet's randomness, Katie just shook her head. Janet was odd today, well more weird than usual. Some of her sentences actually were coherent. Sighing though, she said, "I know I can tell you anything, but… it's just so complicated."

"What's complicated about a love triangle? You love both of the brothers. That isn't hard to say."

"I don't love **both** of them, just one…Stefan… I think." Katie said, doubtful now.

"That's phooey and you know it! You are in love with both the Salvatore brothers. Be a man and admit it."

Taking a deep breath, Katie knew her "crazy" grandmother was right. She was madly in love with both brothers. But she couldn't go on living like that. She had to pick one, but…but which one?

Before Katie could keep thinking, Janet interrupted her thoughts. "Sweetie, I know now it seems hard, and it is, but you have known all along I think which brother you belong with." Janet's eyes, always a little out of focus, started to almost slide back into place. Her arched back was becoming straighter her jaw was locked.

_What the…? What is she doing? It's like something snapped back on a switch inside of her and she is waking up._

Janet continued, becoming more lucid by the second. "Think, which one can you not have in your life? Which one do you talk about everything with? Which one makes you laugh, smile? I think from day one you have known, but it hasn't been until recently you have been getting confused about whom is the better one, am I right?"

Nodding reverently Katie found a new respect for her Grandma in this moment.

"Katie, listen to me, I may not have long before I have to go back." Janet took both her hands in hers and nodded her red hair. "Love, true honest to God love, only happens once. And when it does, it is so frightening. It is so scary in fact that most people let it slip by **because** of that fear. But then they miss out on being with their soul mates forever. And this true love has obstacles, tests, to see if you are truly willing to risk everything for it. These tests can come in all shapes and sizes, but you have to be able to see the difference between what is real, and what is not. When it is real, actually real, you do have doubts. But they aren't bad qualms; they come with the same fear I just said. When there is passion, no worries at all in a relationship, how can that really last? Love that is meant for a lifetime, or forever maybe in your case, will make you fight for it. And if you can win the battle, your prize will be the one you desire the most. You can't stop now baby, you have to wake up and stop fighting it, and start fighting **for** it."

Unclasping her granddaughter's hands, she sat back, looking tired and for once her age. It took a lot out of her to say, but pride shown in her eyes and a new fierceness was visible beneath her surface.

"I…I think I get it Grandma. I know what you mean! Oh my God I know, I **know**!"

"Hmm what?" Janet said, looking startled. "What do you know?"

Katie's mouth gaping open she sputtered, "I know whom I really love. Who my soul mate is. Because of what you just said a second…." Janet was mumbling to herself, dazed on why she was even up in Katie's room. The spark of life was gone behind her eyes and they once again were lifeless, empty.

"Oh! What I said a second ago you mean?" Janet said, her red hair bobbling.

Relieved, Katie replied, "Yeah, about Stefan and Damon, and what true love really is!"

"I didn't say that. I told you how King Tut tried to kidnap me once. Pharaohs' have such clammy hands it's unnerving! Is that meatloaf I smell from downstairs? I haven't had meatloaf since 1832!" Getting up, her back hunched over, Janet carefully made her way out of Katie's room and down the stairs.

_What…just…happened? It was like for those few moments Grandma was back, from where I don't know, but she was here, in the present, not rambling on about what "rap" is or Egyptian princes! I wish she always could be that lucid…. But I know now. I know that my love is real and I should continue to fight for it! No obstacles can get in my way now!_

Katie literally skipped into the bathroom to take a shower. Applying new makeup, and straightening her hair, she felt so good, so happy, and confidant that she was doing the right thing. Looking in the mirror she felt proud of what she saw, and knew that he would like it.

Going back into her room she picked up her cell phone and waited for the answer to her call.

"Hello?" Said a voice that sounded depressed…brooding.

"Stefan? It's me. I'm, I'm sorry how I have acted the past few days. I don't know I was confused and I just well…confused. But you won't believe I had this amazing conversation with my Grandma and well she just made me understand things, about love that is. What true love really is, and how when it is real, there will be tests keeping us from our soul mate. And how we must fight for it, not against it since it's so…so scary! She said it so much better than me I wish you could hear it from her….I could ask her to repeat but I don't think she can. It's a long story. I'm sorry I know I'm babbling I'm just really nervous. Ugh I hate being nervous. You know how I get my hands sweat and…"

Laughter could be heard from the other end of the phone. "It's okay. And I know what you mean. Want to come over? We can go out somewhere or just stay in or…whatever you want. Damon left town two days ago. When I want him gone, he stays, and when I don't mind him being here, he leaves. Who knows? But I guess it'll be nice to have him out of the house."

Trying to sound indifferent, Katie nonchalantly asked, "Oh? Where did he go?"

"I don't know, he just got his leather jacket, gave me a salute, said, "All's fair in love and war isn't it little brother?" and left! Good riddance, that's what I think."

"That's kind of mean, isn't it?" She said, frowning.

"Well you **are** mine really, and I never liked the way he looked at you…. Let's just forget about him for tonight. Are you leaving now? I'll go hunting really quick before you come."

Sighing, she muttered, "Sure." and hung up.

Grabbing her bag to go, Katie never felt more in her life that she was making the right choice. Regardless of what he felt, or how he acted, she knew what her heart desired now.

_How am I going to tell the other brother though?_

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**Whaaaaaat? She picked Stefan? Are you kidding me right now! haha This chapter actually was going to be longer but I decided to break it up since they don't really go together. Chapter 7 will probably be pretty short so I'll post 8 asap! To the 3 people who actually read the story (haha) what do you guys think Katie is doing? Also any comments, thoughts, and opinions of all kinds are welcomed! Please let me know what you think! **


	7. Chapter 7: Live Lies Bleeding

**I know I said this would be a short chapter, but once I started to write it I just couldn't stop! Haha so it is rather long actually :) hehe! But please please please tell me what you think! Please review so I know your thoughts and opinions and thank you SO much to the guys who have been reviewing and telling me what you think! Next chapter up soon, the story is coming to an end before long :( But enjoy this chapter for now!**

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"Hey buddy, why don't you get up off your ass and refill my drink?"

"I think you've had a enough pal, I'm cutting ya off." The bartender said, not even looking up from his magazine. No one was in the bar except the local drunk, the bartender, and the mysterious stranger whom the bartender did not trust in the least. His shift was over in ten minutes, and he did not want to be bothered making another drink for someone whom he didn't even know.

"You're going to make me another drink, and you're not gonna gyp me out of a cherry this time either."

Frustrated, the man got off his stool in the corner and, scratching his overhanging belly, was preparing to have it out with the new customer, when he looked into his blue eyes and instantly forgot why he was even standing, why he was even here.

"Now what are you going to do?" The dark stranger growled.

"I'm going to make you another drink…sir. And I won't forget the cherry this time sir! It's coming up sir." He busily started to mix the right ingredients to make the perfect drink for the now most valued customer.

_That's more like it._ Damon thought to himself. He leaned back on the stool that was stationed right next to the counter. He was on his fourth, no third, maybe fifth, drink, and counting. It takes a lot of alcohol to get a vampire drunk (much more than a human) and Damon was doing his best to get to that state. But no matter how much he drank, his pain wouldn't leave him. The numbness he desired wouldn't take a hold of him. He still could vividly see Katie's face, her body, her soul. He wanted to forget her, make her just a another very short chapter in his never ending life, but a part of him knew that he would never stop thinking about her.

_There's just something…different about her. God she drives he crazy. And it's not even that. She…she is just so…so…. Stop thinking about her! Get a life Damon, well an afterlife. Just stop pining over some, some human!_

But he couldn't stop. _She said she didn't love Stefan. She said she loved someone else, why would I just assume that she meant me? I'm just the "other" brother. And why should she be with me? I'm not a good…person…. I'm not even a person, just a vampire. A dangerous one. Stefan is the one who can, for the most of the time at least, control himself. I'm the monster. I'll be the one spending eternity killing and murdering. She deserves someone better than me…_

Taking a sip of his new drink, with two cherries in it now, he looked around the bar. He couldn't remember arriving at this place, or how long he even was here for. After leaving his home, he mindlessly roamed around town, looking to feed off someone. He even found a girl too, but as he was about to bite he suddenly thought of Katie's dark blue eyes and how the disappointment would be visible behind them. How they would be so round and bright, staring back into his with the question of, "Oh Damon, you didn't, did you?" lingering on them. He roughly pushed the poor (almost) victim away and took off, he supposed to this bar. Since then he had been literally drowning away the day.

_I'll give it another week, and I'll be back. I always bounce back. I'm Damon Salvatore after all, I can get any damn girl I want. Except Katie…dammit I shouldn't be thinking about this._

But it was true, why didn't she love him back? He told her so much, things no one else knew about him. When she would walk through his door the day seemed to have a purpose. Even if it was to just tease her, he loved being with her. She made him a better person.

_Screw this, let her be with Stefan if she wants. They "belong" together or som_e _crap like that. I don't care anymore, I'm done._

Getting up, not nearly as drunk as he wished to be, Damon threw down some bills on the counter and started to put his leather jacket on when his cell phone buzzed. Picking it up, the name "Katie" flashed across the screen with a picture of the two of them crossed eyed. _I'm going to have to delete this number soon. _Pressing "ignore" he put it back in his pocket and made his away a little unsteadily to the door. Paying no attention to the "goodbye sir!" and the "come back anytime!" Damon simply flipped the guy off, a smirk almost appearing on his face.

Not even making it all the way to the door, his cell phone buzzed again from Katie. He stared at it for one second thinking what could she possibly want? She made her choice; he figured he would never hear from her again. Maybe she wanted them to try and be civil to each other? _No probably not._ Maybe she wanted the number of that great Chinese takeout place they discovered? _Yeah that's probably it._

Not knowing what to expect, Damon took a deep breath, and picked up the phone.

* * *

It was getting dark out as Katie left her house to go to Stefan's. She hated to drive at night but she knew she had to do this. She had to tell him that it was over. She couldn't keep pretending that she didn't love Damon anymore. Stefan would always be her first love, but he was not her true love, her soul mate. After talking to her Grandma, all she could think of was Damon's infamous smirk, the way when he smiled the smile stretched across his whole face, the way his hands felt in hers. He was her best friend too. Even when she was with Stefan when something monumental happened in her life it seemed like she always went to Damon first. They way they could finish each other's sentences, thoughts, and dreams, only proved more how right they were for each other.

_He's stubborn, annoying, and infuriating, but there is no one else I want to spend my life, and…and maybe even eternity with._

But would he forgive her? Did he love her? After their fight she would barely blame him for not caring for her all after the way she treated him. Even if he didn't love her (but she didn't want to think of that) she still had to break up with Stefan. She made her choice, even if Damon didn't feel the same way. Even if this whole time Damon was just trying to piss off Stefan, the decision was still made. Even if he cared for her, but didn't want to be with her, she still knew she was doing the right thing now.

_As people say, if you love something set it free, and if it is meant to be it will come back to you…or something like that at least._

Katie, turning onto a narrow strip of road, knew she was less then ten minutes away. The road always was vacant; no one ever on it, but tonight there was one single car behind her.

Not thinking much of it, she kept driving, nervous about her approaching meeting with Stefan, she didn't notice the car getting closer and closer until the lights were right behind her.

_What is that guy doing? Is…_

She barely was able to finish her thought when the car sped up more, and hit her tail. Katie reared forward, and started to slow down to pull over, but the car sped up again to hit her.

Her heart pounding, she looked into the review mirror to see if she could catch a glimpse of the other driver, but the windows were tinted, making her more nervous.

_He's probably drunk or something. I'll just pull over and let him keep going and then call the cops._

But as she started to pull over to the side, the car drove forward so it was next to her on her right, not allowing her to go to the side. Going faster than Katie now, he went around her so he was in front of her and she tailing behind. Out of nowhere he stopped, causing her car to go into his.

Katie was shaking all over, not knowing what was going on. A scream was building in her throat, but she swallowed it, trying to hold on to her eerie calmness. Shakily she put her car in reverse, hoping to get away, but following her lead the car in front backed up too to hit her again.

Since now her car was on the point of being wrecked, the scream that had been building finally found its way out, and once she started she couldn't stop. She fumbled in her pocketbook until she found her cell phone, and tried to call Stefan. After the third ring she remembered he was out hunting.

_Dammit dammit dammit! Should I call Damon? But what if he was out of the state? What if he is out of the country! Oh god what do I do!_

She dialed in his number, praying he was near. As it was ringing, the man in front slowly got out of his car. He was in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, sealing his identity. Thinking this was her opportunity, her chance to get away, she quickly put the car in reverse. But the person was faster; in an instant he was on the other side of her car. He pushed the front of it and Katie's car went spun around in a half circle.

_He's a vampire? What does he want with me?_

"It's Damon. If you didn't realize you were calling me then just hang up now, seriously. I probably could have answered, but hell, I most likely don't like you. So you shouldn't even bother leaving a message since you piss me off anyway, but if you insist on annoying me, then…"

_SHIT! Please Damon please!_

Katie's car stopped spinning the second she started to cry. Putting it in drive she started to go forward until the hooded figure pushed her car back so she skidded off the road.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" She screamed hysterical. She dialed Damon again, not hoping anymore to be saved, when on the second ring a velvet voice answered with a simple, "Yes?"

* * *

"Yes?" Damon said, wondering why she was calling. Before he could make one of his snarky comments Katie screamed.

He stopped short, his hand on the doorknob of the bar's exist. "Katie? Katie what is it?"

"Damon, Damon I don't know what's going on!" She was sobbing on the other end. "There was a car behind me…now in front of me, and he kept hitting me and I thought he was drunk but…" She was cut off by the sound of metal being crushed. She let out another scream with a "leave me alone!"

"What's happening? Who is attacking you?" Damon shouted in the phone, his chest rising and falling.

"Oh my god I think it's a vampire but I don't know why! He crushed part of my car! I don't know what to do! If I get out he'll out run me but now my car won't start! What do I…" But suddenly a shriek so high pitched that caused Damon to almost drop his phone was heard from the other end.

"KATIE, where are you! Can you hear me? Where are you? Tell me! Hurry!"

Sobbing and yelling she shouted, "I'm on the road near your house. Oh Damon I was on my way to…" But then another voice could be heard in the background, yelling something that even Damon couldn't make out because of the sound Katie yelling and kicking. She was putting up a good fight, but obviously he was overpowering her. The last thing Damon heard was "DAMON HELP ME." And the line went dead.

Staring down at his phone, Damon slowly crushed it with his fingers. His eye blazing, he took off, not stopping until he was almost there at the scene of the crime. What he saw made him stopped dead, transfixed.

On the deserted road, he saw the two cars. Katie's was trashed, dents in it all around. But the back was ripped off, as if the other vampire was clawing his way to get her.

He smelled the blood before he even saw it. Over to her car in a flash, he slowly touched the front seat, not needing to open the door since it was ripped off, and saw that the once tan interior was now a deep maroon.

He whirled around and shouted her name in a desperate cry, but neither Katie nor her attacker were near. His eyes wide he dashed from one side of the car to the other looking for anything to help him.

After a minute of searching, one of the longest minutes in his life, he heard a buzz from the other side of the road. Running over he saw her phone, covered in blood and mud tucked between a piece of her shirt and a rock. He picked up the single piece of tiered off shirt and put it up to his face, breathing in her scent. He gently put it in his back pocket and then turned his attention to the still ringing phone.

"Who the hell are you and what the **hell** do you want with her?" He growled, blind fury slowly building within him.

Light laughter could be heard on the other end. "Oh silly Damon, she means nothing to me. I just needed a way to get your interest."

"Well you have it." Damon spat into the phone. "Let her go or…"

"Oh I think **I'll** be the one to call the shots here old friend. Now you listen and I'll talk okay?"

Damon said nothing, for once no smart-alecky comments coming to him.

"Good then. As long as you cooperate, I might not hurt her….that badly. Oh look, she is starting to regain consciousness! It's so sad she lost so much blood. After I feed on her there will be almost nothing left." He sighed dramatically and continued. "We'll talk later then? Sounds good. Oh and Damon…? She really is such a lovely little thing. Hopefully she doesn't die…it would be **such** a shame if I killed her before we got a chance to meet again."

As the line went dead, a cry of vengeance that was so painful, so tortured, was uttered from Damon that the night went so still that not another sound could be heard. Nothing stirred miles around, not even the sound a lonely heart.


	8. Chapter 8: What Love Will Do

**Enjoy :)**

Look around, what do you see? No matter what direction you turn your head; a variety of color surrounds you. There are mixes of blues, greens, whites, purples, reds, yellows, blacks, grays and oranges. But what if all you ever saw was one color? The same color day in and day out. Would you grow sick of it? Would you grow to love it? Would **you** go crazy from seeing nothing but blue, green, purple, gray, or orange? Can something as simple as the choice of color make someone become mad? Can something as straightforward as color make any man woman or child succumb to insanity?

Katie never was one who ever thought she would fall to lunacy, but seeing nothing but red around her, on her, and in her, made her feel that at any moment she could lose it. Her eyes, barely able to open, just saw red. As little slits she tried to glance around but her head started to pound by just doing that simple action. Leaning back on a hard surface, her body involuntary started to shake with fright. She was having trouble remembering what exactly even happened. She didn't know where she was nor why. What had happened to her?

She moved her torso up, and instantly a quiver shocked her system. Everything was aching within her. She could recall talking to Damon, but about what? Wasn't she driving? She was going to see Stefan to…to say goodbye? And Damon…Damon, the man, the vampire, she loved, was going to come and see her? To say hi? No that wasn't right. The word "save" floated dreamily across her mind. She was so tired, so so tired. She just wanted to sleep. Leaning her upper body back against the hard surface she closed her eyes, and the red that was in her mind started to fade away to black; it looked so peaceful, so pleasant. She suddenly desired to go into it. Her eyes closed, she dove into the black and knew no more.

…

**Damon, Katie, Grandma Janet, Stefan, Katie, her Mom, Damon, Damon Damon…**

**His face kept hovering above her, just out of reach. He was so close. Katie reached up, but her arm just couldn't extend that far. She shifted her body so she could try and lift her head to give him a kiss, but his face soared even high. She stood up and flew up into the sky to chase him around the swirling black and red mist. **

**But he was gone. In midair she twirled left and right but he was nowhere. She looked down, sorrow filling up her lungs, when she caught a glimpse of a bright light behind her. Spinning around she saw Damon, his black hair, his light blue eyes, and even his classic smirk. A golden light was all around him. He was holding a single red rose. Offering it out to Katie, she took it, a small smile on her face. In an instant he was by her side, merely an inch away from her. He leaned toward her and breathed into her eyes gently, "Wake up."**

…

Katie gasped, sitting up. Her heart pounding in her chest, she looked around where she was being held captive. Everything came back to her, the car crash, the mysterious vampire, and her plea to Damon. Her body still aching, she realized she was in an old abandoned church. Wooden pews that were long ago neglected were rotting around her. The walls all were a deep red, a deep blood red, with stained glass windows evenly spaced apart. Some of them were broken, with a few rays of gentle moonlight shining down. She was laying down on a hard pew in the front, right by a little nook where a table of candles stood lit.

Katie slowly sat up and took herself in. Her clothes were torn and bloody. Moving her right foot was fine, but her left one throbbed. She guessed it was sprained, nothing too serious. Her shirt though, once a light off-white lace tank top, was now all red. Since her head was pounding and she felt dizzy, she guessed she had lost a lot of blood. Under any other circumstance she would have gotten someone to take her to a hospital, but now she just wanted to get out of there alive.

Hobbling up, everything sore, she tried to discreetly move slowly to the back of the church where an old set of wooden doors stood. She didn't even make it three feet when the sound of someone clapping could be heard behind her. Her eyes closing, she turned around to face the vampire. He was standing on top of the old alter, wearing a long dark brown trench coat, but this time she could see his face. He would have been gorgeous with his blonde hair, brown eyes, and light skin, if it weren't for the two scars that went through his eyes, making a X on his face. He was clapping still with only the corners of his lips tilted up.

"Welcome back. For a while I was worried you wouldn't make it. You just lost oh so much blood." He hopped down and stood there, gazing at Katie.

She gulped and said, "Worried? I thought you would be happy if I died."

"Oh no! I don't want you to die…yet." He said, his head slightly turning to the side.

Even though she expected an answer like that, Katie's eyes still became wide. She went over and sat down in a pew, not knowing what else to do. He would outrun her if she tried to escape, and probably kill her sooner. Making her voice go an octave lower, hoping to show she wasn't as scared as she really was, she said, "Who the hell are you anyway?"

The next thing she knew, the vampire was lounging next to her. Stifling a scream, she just looked at him, trying to stop her body from shaking. He simply looked at her curiously and said, "Why are you afraid of me and not the Salvatore brothers? They can easily kill you just as I can. But when I saw you with them, you were always so relaxed."

"They would NEVER hurt me." Katie said coldly.

"But they have, haven't they? Damon and you got into one nasty little fight the other night if my memory holds correctly." He winked at her and finished with, "And it always does."

She looked straight head, wondering _How the hell does he know all this about me?_

Reading her thoughts the vampire smiled and said, "Yes I know many many things. I know that you are in love with Damon, and that Damon is in love with you. I know that you have been trying to fight this feeling, and him too. And I know that you both have succumbed to it which evidently will lead you both to untimely deaths."

Turning her body around to stare him directly in the eye she said, enunciating each word with care, "Who. Are. You?"

Sighing he got up and turned around to lean on the row of pews in front of them. "People have called me many things. Friend, lover, murderer, the one in the shadows, but few know me as Beelzebub. You can call me Beel for short though sweet cheeks."

Disgusted, Katie got up to face him. She replied, "But what do you want with **me**? What the **hell** have I ever done to you **Beel**." She spat out his name.

"Sweet little Katie." He cupped her cheek but she shook away his touch. Snickering he continued. "It is not you I want. It's your little vampire boyfriend Damon whom I have the bone to pick with. You see these lovely scars I have on my face?" He touched them crudely, his eyes narrowing. "Your friend there gave them to me. Plus other wounds which are not as visible. It is his turn to feel as much pain as he has bestowed upon me."

"So what am I? The bargaining chip or something? Listen buddy, you got yourself the wrong girl. I, I may love Damon, but I don't think he has the same exact feelings for me. And even if he did care about me, he wouldn't risk his life for me."

Beel sighed and walked out of the pew down the aisle. His back towards her he replied while strolling, "Humans are so naïve at times. They never can see the truth in things."

_This guy is a freakin fool. Yea I love__**, I love,**__ Damon, but after everything that has just happened between us he doesn't care about me. What I heard in his voice on the phone was just confusion over what the hell I was doing. And how would he even be able to find me? It's getting light out soon. If he cared, he would have come by now…_

Katie sat back down and put her head in her hands. What should she do? How much longer could she keep stalling? Beel too was starting to get impatient. He was pacing up and down muttering incoherent phrases. Finally after a few minutes he stopped and came over next to her. She looked up coldly her heart pumping but determined not to show any fear.

"It looks like our friend is having some trouble finding our place. Maybe I should send him a message to make him search just a wee bit harder. What do you think?"

Not saying anything, just looking up with hatred pouring out of her eyes he laughed and said, "Sounds good to me!" He grabbed her by the neck, and lowering his fangs to her throat he was sunk his teeth into her.

Pain spanned out throughout her. Trying to push him off she just intensified the hurt. Just as she started to see red, a voice as clear as day rang out, "You haven't changed a day have you Beelzebub you disgusting pig."

Dropping Katie like a limp doll Beel said. "Damon…you've arrived."

…

"Just in time it seems." Damon said, about to run over to Katie.

But Beelzebub was quicker. He grabbed Katie, who still was feeling light headed, and spun her around. Holding onto her neck, he made Damon see the condition she was in. "Maybe a little too late old friend. She has lost so much blood." Beel licked his lips, his eyes hungry for the blood that ran down her face.

"This fight is between you and me." Damon said, his hands clenched tightly into fists while his voice was low, deadly. "She has no business here. Let her go or…"

Beel's head tilted back with laughter. He replied. "Oh but she has ALL the right to be here! You took my Cindy from me, so why shouldn't I take this **thing** you care so much for, from you?"

Breathing hard Damon said. "Jesus, I never took Cindy from you. I wouldn't have even known that she was married if you didn't show up. She never told me okay? And Christ, people say I dwell on the past? Listen Beel, this was back in 1928. Move. On. Already."

Flinging Katie by her hair in front him (causing her to gasp in pain) Beel screamed. "I LOVED her goddammit! And after I fought you when I found out about the affair, she became obsessed with vampires until she finally found another one that killed her! And then you know what happened after that? Or did you never get the full story? When I walked in on that bloodsucker draining her that one night, he attacked **me**, and I guess some how some of his blood got into my system so when he thought he killed me, I actually became one of you…you monsters."

"And let me guess." Damon said, losing the small amount of patience he had. "When we met in that bar what, ten years later, it wasn't just a coincidence? You decided to seek revenge on me since I was the one to cause your wife to go insane? It was pure luck that you lived that last fight, but you won't survive this one, oh no Beel you won't."

A fire shown behind Beel's eyes. "You just don't understand, do you? You might not have had your hands on Cindy's throat, but the affair she had with you drove her to madness. This time though, I will be the direct reason for your death."

Grasping at straws Damon said with clenched teeth. "I'm..I'm sorry. I barely knew her. But you can't hold this against me Beelzebub. Are you going to do the same thing to me by hurting Katie? At least let her go so you and I can really do this."

Katie's head was spinning. She, in a way, could understand Beel's pain, but now he was the one insane for still holding onto that anger towards Damon.

_His wife made her choices by deliberately looking for vampires! He's got to let it go…Oh God what should I do?_ _I wonder if Cindy was a better kisser than me? Oh god SO not the point! But Damon didn't know she was married! Well…would that have stopped him anyway? Who knows…but still…it was his wife's choice to keep seeking out vampires. Damon did not cause her to find that one that finally killed her. But I guess he needs someone to blame…and why not Damon…? Shit…._

Beelzebub yanked on Katie's hair to pull her up. She bit on her lip to hide the pain she felt of her hair being ripped off her skull. Beel had her throat locked in his hands, and slowly was squeezing all the breath she still had out of her. She kept trying to suck in tidbits of air, but as his hands tightened, she could barely get a single wisp of air in.

Blackness slowly was clouding her vision. Tears stung her eyes just as she heard Damon yell, "ENOUGH! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!"

Beelzebub's hands loosened, and Katie sucked in mouthful after mouthful of air. His hands were still around her throat, but at least she could breath now.

"Hmm let's see…what do I want?" Beel said casually…too casually. "Well Damon, I want you to die. Yet of course though you already know this. And after all these years I have realized the sad truth that in a fight I would most likely lose. Yes I have enough courage to admit that. So how do I make you pay then? At first, when I saw you tripping over your damn fangs for this human, I thought, 'I'll kill her and make him watch!' (to this Damon's eyes narrowed lethally) but I then thought, 'After I kill her, he'll just come and attack me and then I'LL be dead! That won't be any good!' So I thought, maybe I'll first torture his human, and then…oh and then this is where it gets brilliant, I'll make him kill himself."

Involuntary Katie turned her head to look at him, "Are you serious?" She said, her voice hoarse. "What would ever make Damon do that? Jesus you've had a little more than seventy years to plan this, and THAT'S what you come up with? Evil is wasted on the dumb…" She shook her head in disgust.

"Oh silly little human." Beel flicked her noise, as if she was a child who just couldn't understand what the "grownups" were saying. "Don't you see? If I give Damon the choice of his life or yours, he will sacrifice himself so you won't die!"

She laughed. She actually laughed right in his face. "Are you serious? Damon would NEVER do that! He wouldn't die…well…whatever it is…for me! I can't believe you actually…" But Beel's hands tightened on her throat again. Her nails clawed at his hands, but they wouldn't loosen. He released one hand to put his lips to her neck and bite down. Katie screamed as she felt blood pouring down her body. Her knees gave out as she sank to the ground, fear spreading through her core.

"Stop it stop it stop it STOP IT!" Damon ripped a pew out of the ground and threw it behind where Beel and Katie were standing, shattering it into hundreds of little pieces. His eyes burned while his body was visibly shaking. "Listen to me you scum, after this is over, you will let her go, if not my brother will find you and track you down and kill you so slowly you will beg for death for hours. The sun is almost up, she will walk out of here then, no more scars will be afflicted on her."

Beelzebub spit some of her blood on the ground. "I'm not a fool. I know that your brother will hunt me down if I go back on this deal and kill her. You were right, my business really isn't with her, so I will never bother her nor your brother again. Once you are gone I will leave."

Breathing heavily, still kneeling on the ground, Katie looked at Damon directly for the first time. "What do you guys mean? Damon…Damon…what the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Don't you see?" Beel said from behind her, almost gently. "The sun that will let you live will also take away his life."

"What? No… I don't understand…" She stammered, still eyes locked on Damon's who deliberately was looking down at his hands.

"The breath that you will breathe will also be his last." Beel also said, his voice rougher than before.

"Don't speaking in metaphors." Katie snapped at him. "I just don't…Damon please look at me…tell me what…"

"Stupid humans!" Beelzebub shouted, his arms rising in disgust. "Damon loves you so much he is going to lay down his life so you can still be in this world. He loves you that much he will sacrifice everything he has for you…so you can keep living even if it is in a world without you. He truly loves you…but he is going to die…very shortly he is going to die…."

**I am sorry it took me forever to post this, I have been so busy, but yet again only like four people read it so it's not like I was letting down TOO many people! hahaha But again sorry and I HOPE it was okay! Please let me know…anyone?**


	9. Chapter 9: Finale

**RECAP!**

**Wow sooo sorry X 47893423.4 for seeming to like never update this haha. Does it count that I have been in the hospital so I really couldn't POSSIBLY update? I'm still sorry though! But for people who haven't read this in a while here is what has been going on…**

**So Katie had been with Stefan for a while, but her increasing intense feelings for Damon, her best friend, have been overwhelming ever since one night she had a dream about him where they kissed. As she is rethinking about this dream and her true feelings for him, he comes to her window in the dead of night. They talk and joke for hours until they fall asleep in each other's arms, but not without Katie, half asleep, admitting she might like Damon more than a friend. The next morning though, when she wakes up she freaks out since she IS still with Stefan, and yells at Damon that the last night meant nothing. He leaves, making Katie recognize how horrible she just was to her best friend. But her infamous Grandma Janet and her talk, making her realize that she truly loves one of the brothers and calls Stefan to meet him so they could talk (revealed later that she is calling to break up with him so she can tell Damon that she does loves HIM, taking the risk he might not even love her back after everything that has happened). But on her way there a mysterious vampire attacks her car and she is taken just as Damon comes to help her. Later, she wakes up in an old abandoned church where she learns her captor, Beelzebub, has held a grudge against Damon because he believes he is responsible for his wife's death back in 1928. Beel wants Damon to pay for this act, and he gives Damon a choice of either Damon walking out into the sun without his ring on (and letting Katie go), or watching as he kills her. So, of course, Damon agrees to walk out into the sun sacrificing himself for her….. And that's where we left off folks!**

**

* * *

**

_Beel's hands tightened on her throat again. Her nails clawed at his hands, but they wouldn't loosen. He released one hand to put his lips to her neck and bite down. Katie screamed as she felt blood pouring down her body. Her knees gave out as she sank to the ground, fear spreading through her core._

_"Stop it stop it stop it STOP IT!" Damon ripped a pew out of the ground and threw it behind where Beel and Katie were standing, shattering it into hundreds of little pieces. His eyes burned while his body was visibly shaking. "Listen to me you scum, after this is over, you will let her go, if not my brother will find you and track you down and kill you so slowly you will beg for death for hours. The sun is almost up, she will walk out of here then, no more scars will be afflicted on her."_

_Beelzebub spit some of her blood on the ground. "I'm not a fool. I know that your brother will hunt me down if I go back on this deal and kill her. You were right, my business really isn't with her, so I will never bother her nor your brother again. Once you are gone I will leave."_

_Breathing heavily, still kneeling on the ground, Katie looked at Damon directly for the first time. "What do you guys mean? Damon…Damon…what the hell do you think you are doing?"_

_"Don't you see?" Beel said from behind her, almost gently. "The sun that will let you live will also take away his life."_

_"What? No… I don't understand…" She stammered, still eyes locked on Damon's who deliberately was looking down at his hands._

_"The breath that you will breathe will also be his last." Beel also said, his voice rougher than before._

_"Don't speaking in metaphors." Katie snapped at him. "I just don't…Damon please look at me…tell me what…"_

_"Stupid humans!" Beelzebub shouted, his arms rising in disgust. "Damon loves you so much he is going to lay down his life so you can still be in this world. He loves you that much he will sacrifice everything he has for you…so you can keep living even if it is in a world without you. He truly loves you…but he is going to die…very shortly he is going to die…."_

"_**Jesus Christ**_ this is getting ridiculous!" Katie near screamed, slowly rising from the ground. Her knees were shaking, but the hot red fire she felt seeping through her core gave her the power to stand. Blood was still openly pouring out of her neck, and even though she felt near faint, she pushed past that to start half run, half walk, hell maybe even somewhere in the mix half crawl, over to Damon. She didn't even make it a foot when Beel forcibly yanked her back so one hand was firmly wrapped around her waist. Digging her bloody and dirty nails into his skin, she unsuccessfully tried to rip off his grip, but he just gave a low, menacing chuckle and almost purred into her ear, "Whatever it is you want to say to Damon, say it now. You won't ever be getting much closer to him."

She turned her head slightly so she could look into Beelzebub's face, which composed a look of such triumph, such pleasure, that his eyes gleamed bright and powerful. She could feel his body quivering with each breath he took, and anyone could see the calculations that he was making in his mind; how to kill Damon, how to make Katie watch, the best place to watch the execution, how much blood to spill, and so forth. He couldn't believe it all was going to plan, and if Damon decided to double cross him? Then all three of the people there knew he wouldn't hesitate for a second to kill her. No matter what happened tonight, Damon would pay, whether in body, soul, or mind, and, as he hoped, maybe even all three.

Katie sighed. _This is it. This is the only chance I'll have to talk Damon out of this! Ugh this is ALL my fault! Why did I have to resist my feelings so long? But more importantly…I still don't understand why the hell Damon would go through with this? Yeah we have….something….between us. And I know how I feel, I know that I love him, even if he might not feel the same, even if he wants to be with someone else. But how can he feel the same? Maybe he is just….oh my god what if he just feels guilty about "putting" me in danger? What do I DO?_

She twisted back around to face Damon even though Beel's grip on her waist did not loosen. He stood up tall, proper, with a fierce look in his eyes. Yet he wouldn't look in her direction, he kept steadily gazing down at his feet. Frustrated she hissed to him, "Damon…don't be a fool. You are **not** going through with this. There has to be another way other than you dying."

He gazed up, but only to look at his hands that were clenched into tight fists. He murmured very low, so that she had to strain to him hear, but he had on a slight smirk, "Kate…I don't think there is another way…this is a good deal for you, hell even for me in a way….plus you get to be with Stefan, all is right with the world…no?"

As if she was slapped, Katie stepped back unintentionally more into Beelzebub. She looked down for a second, and that back up with a new fire in her eyes.

_What is he talking about! Where is the Damon that pisses everyone off? That doesn't let one jackass push him around? What can he be thinking? This is so…so DUMB! So…so stupid, why is he….?_

She involuntary stepped forward again, but Beel held her back. Damon still would not look her in the eye, but she had to try, she **had** to do something. "Damon please, please…listen to me! Doing this…sacrificing your life like this, is not the right thing to do! YOU did not put me in this situation! I chose a life with vampires in it. No one forced me, and I knew the risks when I befriended you and Stefan. Please, don't throw away the rest of, of eternity because of me! You can do so, so much more. You have changed from the total smart ass who killed anyone to an amazing person. You care about this town, your brother…and even me. I know we…you and I have been so rocky lately. And I know it's my fault. I was trying to…it doesn't matter it's just you are, oh God, you are my best friend Damon, Jesus you are more than that. You are one of the best things in my life and I can not let you do this. I will NOT let you do this! Please Damon stop being so freakin stubborn!" Katie's body shook with silent sobs, but she had to keep going, had to tell him. "And goddammit this doesn't make it 'right' for me to be with Stefan! There has to be another way! There HAS to be another way because how else can you and I be togeth…"

"Katie," Damon cut her off. He looked past her where the alter of the church stood. But she could see something behind his eyes. It wasn't just pain, it was anger, passion, love, loyalty, fierceness, and a determination that made her heart sank. He sighed and straightened his shirt. "You don't have to do this. As you made your choice to live in this type of world, I am making a choice to leave it. What else is left for me? I'm sick of the drunken sorority girls and the mindless people in this generation. And you're wrong, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be here right now." His voice grew rough and dropped a pitch. "Maybe another vampire would have killed you in the end, but it wouldn't be like this, with it being my fault. You will not die because of me. You…you are my best friend too…I want you to know that."

"You are more than a friend to me… Damon, I lo-"

"Ugh you two are soooo annoying at times." Beel muttered. His grip at loosened while they were talking, but not enough for Katie to break free. "Look to your right, the sun is almost up now, it's time for the grand finale Damon! And how about this? Just as you are burning in the sun, I'll let this little creature," he gave her a squeeze which made her body quiver, "walk out into the sun too, so as the last thing you see is her running away free. Perfecto!"

"Sounds great…" Damn smirked, but the light that was behind his eyes, a light that always had shone with fire and passion was starting to diminish as each second ticked by. It was as if he finally came to the realization of what was about to happen, that he was about to die forever…never to come back. Yet even as the passion, fire, and beauty behind those strikingly blue eyes dimmed, that determination to do the right thing stayed, so as the sun just was starting to rise over the horizon on the other side of the church, all three of them silently made their way to the doors with Damon leading, and Katie and Beel in tow. Beel's grip never left her waist, but with each step they took bringing Damon to his final downfall, Beel's body trembled with anticipation and excitement.

Damon, reaching the back of the church, threw open the doors and looked out onto the land. It actually was a rather beautiful place, with rolling hills in all directions and scattered trees lazily placed here and there. The sun was just peaking over the many tiny hills and Damon, almost reluctantly, walked outside, his hand firmly holding the finger where his ring was placed.

He only walked a few steps out before turning around to face Katie and Beel. Her heart was pounding so fast, not believing that this event was truly about to happen.

_Oh my God. I never even told him I loved him. He..he will die never, never knowing the truth. And here I am, standing by in the clutches of a lunatic, while my true love is about to die? What do I DO!_

The sun was steadily climbing in the morning sky now, and Damon, his eyes fixated in a trance on Katie, started to loosen to the ring on his hand.

Looking right back at him, her eyes poring into his, she saw his face, his white perfect skin, his faultless blue eyes, his tussled black hair, his hands, his muscled arms, his legs…his pain, his heart, his emotions, his coldness, his humor, his caring nature, his…his soul that brightened while even his heart did not beat and every breath he did not need to take, each time they touched and talked, and smiled and laugh and cuddled, the way he wanted her for every flaw she had and every imperfection she held on to, every time she said the wrong thing and each time she blushed, all the times she rolled her eyes and yelled her lungs out, each tear she shed on his shoulder and smirk she wished he didn't see …each time they almost kissed and every moment he wanted to kiss her, each time he wished his heart could beat with hers and every moment he desired to breath along side her, how he wished he was a better being for her but felt he was never worth her love, and maybe would never deserve it…she saw his soul for the first time and Katie knew that Damon Salvatore loved her more than himself, even if it meant him dying before he could ever kiss her, hug her, and love her. Damon Salvatore loved her with no strings attached and always would, for the reminder of his life. And Damon Salvatore was about to die for her, without knowing that her soul felt the same in every aspect, but still loving her enough to die without ever being aware of this knowledge.

_No…NO!_ She kept screaming in her head. The ring was almost off, and in his excitement, Beelzebub let go of Katie to take two steps forward in wonder and awe that his plan was beyond doubt working. His hands, trembling even more now, rose up to his face in astonishment as he kept gasping, "Yes..by God yes!"

Not taking a moment to spare, Katie, instead of rushing **towards** Damon, ran behind her **back** into the church. She dashed straight to where Damon only mere minutes ago threw the pew and it smashed to the ground. She instantly found a rough, jagged piece of wood there, and without stopping her crazy, frightened run picked it up and ran back to where Beel stood still transfixed.

It took her only perhaps a few seconds to run there and back, and if it was any more Beel would have realized what was going on, but since he kept gazing at Damon (whose ring was just about to glide off his finger), he didn't even grasp the fact that the wooden "stake" was going through his core, until it was poking through the other side of his chest.

He spun around to face Katie, and grabbed her by the neck while he threw her against the wall, ripping out the stake that was just an inch from missing his heart. But that was all the time Damon needed to refasten the ring on his finger and almost fly back into the church to punch Beel.

They spun around in a blur, kicking, yelling, punching, and biting. Katie could barely see anything in front of her except for the blood that was pouring down from her skull. But she still shakily got up and sprinted to where Beel dropped the stake before.

Praying, she picked it up and jumped into the blur of fighting and aimed at the faceless creature she hoped to God was Beel. She propelled it into him, using every ounce of strength she had left, and watched as the disgusting, vain, sickening vampire that once was known as Beelzebub crumbled before her feet.

For a moment, neither Damon nor Katie spoke while they watched Beel finally, truly, die. Both breathing heavily, they saw the ashes disintegrate into the air and swirl around them out into the great beyond.

She turned towards him and saw him take in everything that happened, how close he was to death, and without hesitating, she stepped forward and grabbed his shirt firmly in both hands, and at last kissed him.

He was surprised by her boldness, and at first nearly backed up in shock. But as the kiss grew from just a peck on the lips into something much, much more, before he knew it his hands were entangled in her hair while her own hands roamed over his upper body. His lips against hers made her delirious, feverish, with desire for more, so she locked her body tighter onto his, making them sway together in passion.

They could have held onto each like this perhaps forever, but after what seemed like hours and seconds at the same time they pulled apart, both with labored breathing but now for a much different reason. Neither spoke until a small tiny smile pulled tightly over her lips as she whispered, "I'm sorry…but that was rather overdue."

Damon laughed and pulled her close, lightly kissing the top of her head. "You don't know how long I have wanted to do that."

She chuckled too, happiness seeping through that they both were alive, and, dare she say it, together. She pulled back to again look him in the eyes to say the phrase that they both had been feeling for so long, but so afraid to act upon. "Damon…I love you."

Without breaking the gaze he whispered back, "I love you too."

In that moment, as their lips met again, Katie knew that no matter what happened, no matter what life might throw at them, they would be together. They would always have each other. They would always be One.

_The End_

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**This was the last chapter **** I had thought about maybe throwing in an epilogue with Grandma Janet HAHA but nah I don't think so. Again I am so sorry it took me so long to finish it, but please please if you don't mind tell me what you thought of the story overall and especially the last chapter! Since it is the end please tell me any thoughts and opinions no matter what! Thank you for reading this!**


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